Vehicle-spring.



iff

CLABEORN P. RANDOLPH, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

VEHICLE-SPRING.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patentd Slept. 26, 1916;

Application filed February 20, 1915. Serial No. 9,587.

To ZZ whom. t may concern l Be it known that I, CLABEORN P. RAN- DOLPH, a citizen ofthe United States. residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a. new and useful 'Tehicle-Spring. of which the following is a specification.

' An objectof this invention is the provision of a vehicle spring which is of maximum flexibility during the entire period of the life of said spring.

lVith springs heretofore invented saidl but will remain perfectly resilient from first to last because of efficient lubrication of the different leaves at all times.

Another object is the production 'of a i spring that is proof against dust, rust-` and water.

Another object is the production 'of a novel housing or jacket for the spring leaves so as to make the spring dust, rust and water proof. y

Another object is'to'practically maintain immersion of the spring in the lubricant.

Another object is to provide a vehicle leaf spring so constructed as to reduce friction between adjacent leaves to a minimum.

Another ,object is to provide a construction effective to prevent parting or separating of the leaves if one of said leaves should break.

Another object is to make provision for resilient action of a spring leaf even though said leaf should be broken.

Another object is the production of a superior spring clip so fastened in place as to Strengthen rather than weaken the spring.

Other objects and advantages may appear as the invention is unfolded in the subjoined detail description taken in connection with the `drawings filed herewith.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure l is a side elevation of the newly invented spring mounted on an axle. Fig.

2 is a crosssection on line indicated by w2-a:2, Figs. l and 3. Fig. 3 is a fragmen-y tary longitudinal section on line indicated by fc3-mt, Fig. 2.y Fig. l is an enlarged detail of the novel lubricant cup shown in the preceding views. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the clip bolt. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the two separable members forming one of the spring clips. Fig. is`

a perspective view of one of the spring leaves.

Arrows-on the section lines in some of the views indicate the direction of sight.

There are provided any desired or requisite number of separate superposed curved spring leaves l of different lengths as iscornmon in the art, a master or main leaf and one or more subleaves, and said master leaf may be connected to a vehicle by any suitable means,'as by end loops 2 andbolts, not shown. Leaves l are connecte-d bv any suitable means such as clips 3 to an alXle 4Q Each of the springv leaves l is provided .near each end on its convex`face with a transverse substantially semicircular rib forming a channel 5 on its concave face to accommodate a bearing member in the form of a tubular sleeve or roller G having mid.

way of its ends vents 7 for passing lubricant from the interior of said sleeve. The channel 5 is of such depth that the distance from its top to its bottom is somewhat less than the diameter of the sleeve (3,'so that the next upper leaf spring will rest on the sleeve and tend to turn' said sleeve when-the extremities of the leaves are caused to slide relative to one another by fiexure of the spring' caused by irregularities in the surface upon which the vehicle 1s traveling or caused by any means whatsoever. Each sleeve G substantiallyengages both'leaves between which threaded on its projecting end. The inner* l ends of the shouldered portion 8 and plug 5) are spaced apart and there is thus formed lbetween them a lubricant chamber l1, and vwhen said chamber 1s provided with grease or lheavy oil, indicated at 12, Fig. 2, said grease or heavy oil exudes through the vents 7 and runs .downward between' adjacent spring leaves so as to efficiently lubricate `their contacting faces.

. .Each of the sleeves 6, plugs 9, and stems llf t() together form a lubricant cup which is interposed between adjacent spring leaves l and preferably the spring leaves bare provided with longitudinally extending ducts 12 communicating with the channels? to aid in eti'ective distribution ot the lubricant.

llach stem l0 is held in. place by suitable means and in the instance shown in the drawings, for this purpose, the plug t) is provided with a head 13 and the stem 10 is provided at its threaded end with a nut 1t, said head and nut being:T drawn up tightly against .bosses l5 projecting trom theouter sides ot a clip which may be formed in two separable members or duplicate halves 1G.

The plug` il. stein l0. head il?) and nut 1t together form a 'bolt to clamp the two clip members l() together.V The members lt otl each clip extend transversely otl the' edges ot' the spring leaves and are bent under thc bottom spring leatf and over the master spring' leat' so that thc adjacent edges .of the bent over and underportions tit close together as shown in Fig. Q. lt-is noted that by this minstruction ot the clip andthe means t'or fastening" it in place. the spring tend t'roni the yclip 1T substantially to tlie fastening loopsl L); said clips 1b and 1T all together forming` a sectional housingr or jacket extending -substantially troni end to end ot` the spring and virtually inclosing said spring, itl being understood that the bent over portions ot' the clips are not absolutely essentiahsince it is the sides and bottom ot the jacket which are depended upon to etl'ect substantial immersionof the spring` leaves inthe lubricant.

The clips 1u. 1T arepret'erably constructed ot' malleable ironv or the like and may be partly bent up into shape before assembling with the spring leaves or may be entirely bent upf'betore assembling. The clips 1G intercngage one another and those clips adjacent the clip 1T interengag'e said clip 1T, and for this purpose each ot the clips is provided with a tapered end 1S 'which is inserted into the end of the adjacent clip.

From thc Jforegoing coiistrnction it is seen vthat the clips forming the sections of 'thc jacket are capable ot' discharging lubricant from one into another. so as to practically maintain immersion ot' the spring leaves in the lubricant and prevent vsaid lubricant troni escaping.

ltis particularly noted that the. jacket formed by thecli p members 1G, 17 `will be'- coine effective to prevent partingor separation oit' the spring leaves should some but not all of said spring' leaves break, and it is also noted that should any of thespring leaves break, practically all ot the resilient nature ot' said spring leaves will be conserved b v reason otthe clips nicely holdinglrsaid leaves in place sothat the spring will be practically as resilient-after breakage as before and the break need not. be repaired immediately but at any later more convenient time.

In practice the leaves l and clips 1G, 17

will be assembled substantially as shown .in4

(3 and more lubricant supplied to saidg()` sleeves. Then the plug or plugs 9 will be replaced and will be drawn up tightly into place, as shown in Fig. 2, causingthelubricant to be torced through the vents r{"'zfiul along the ducts 12. The lubricant cups will be recharged from time to. time as becomes desirable or necessary to maintain substantial immersion of the spring leaves in lubricant. l `lexure of` the spring leaves causes rolling ot the `sleeves 6, thus minimizingl friction betweenthe leaves at the places ot greatest relativemovement between them and tending to cause the lubricant in the sleeves to discharge into the channels The spring leaves 1 and the bent over portions ot' the clips 1b. 1T may be spaced apart to form a chamber lil which may bc filled with grease or be provided witha wick orcushion 2t) ot' some absorbtnt yielding niaterial such. tor instance. as felt or the like to aid in holding' the lubricant and insure perfect freedom of the spring:r leaves in their flexing movements.

,one position between two of said leaves, an'd Vthe other lubricating device beniginserted at another position between the, uppermostl of said two leaves and 'a third one of said leaves and discharging intothe first one of said lubricating devices,

Q. A vehicle spring comprising spring leaves. and rigid clips surrounding said `leavcsian 1l interfitting one with another t0 form a' jointed jacket to prevent separation ofthe leaves should any ot them become broken.

3. A vehicle 'spring comprising spring leaves, rigid clips surrounding said spring andinterfitting one with another to form a jointed jacket, and a lubricating device for each of said clips, said lubricating devices discharging into different inter-leaf spaces.V l

4a A vehicle Spring comprising spring leaves, a jacket composed of sectlons each l0 having one end tapered and inserted into the other end of an adjacent section.

5. A vehicle spring comprising spring leaves bent to form channels, and lubricantv cups -inserted* inn said channels respectively between' adjacent spring leaves at intervals along the spring.

i G. A vehicle spring comprising spring leaves bent transversely to form channels,

130' clip -bent to accommodate said rib, and a bolt extending through the sides of the clip and through said channel to fasten the clip in place.

9. A vehicle' spring comprising separate leaves, one ofsaid leaves being provided with a transverse rib forming a channel,v a cllp bent to accommodatesaidrib, a tubular perforated sleeve in swaid ghannel, and a bolt extending through Vthe sides of the clip and 40 through said sleeve to hold the clip in place.

`10. A vehicle springcomprising spring leaves having a transverse channel therebetween, a perforated sleeve ,in said channel, a clip having a hole in one side, a plug extending through the hole into the sleeve, and a i the clip.

l stem connectingwtheplug to the other side of 11. A vehicle spring comprising spring leaves, and tubular perforated rollers between adjacentifleavestofeed lubricant to the contacting faces of said leaves.

TlQfA-.velrile spring comprising separate V lle'aevesand avseries of relatively free interengaging rigid clips to bind the leaves to- S5 gether.

.9th day composed of separableniembers bent under the lower leaf and over the upper leaf and having a channel to 4it'isaid rib and a bolt fastening said members to one another.

1i. A vehicle spring comprising separate leaves and having a transverse rib, a clip composed of separable U-shaped members and having a channel to-fit said rib, and a bolt passing through the intermediate limbs' of the U-shaped members and between adjacent leaves to clamp said .U-shaped members tovsaid leaves. i 15. A vehicle spring comprising separate leaves, one of said leaves having a transverse rib, a. clip provided with a transverse seat to fit said rib and bent aroundthe leaves to j fasten said leaves together, and a lubricant` cup in said seat.- 4 y 16. A vehicle spring comprising separatel leaves, one of said leaves having a transverse rib forming a channel, a rebound clip provided witli ia transverse seat to fit said rib and bent around the leaves, and a bolt eX- tending through the sides of said, clip' and through said channel..

17.A vehicle spring-,comprising separate leaves, one of said leaves having a channel extending to one longitudinal edge of the leaves, a perforated rollerl in said channel between adjacent leaves, and means to hold' Said leaves together.

18. .A vehicle spring comprising separate leaves, one of said leaves having a channel extending to one longitudinal edge of the leaves, a duct extending longitudinally of said one leaf `and communicating with said channel, a perforated roller in said channel between adjacent leaves, and means to force lubricant from said roller into said. duct.

19. A vehicle spring comprising separate leaves, a sectional jacket extending substan- Y tially from end to end of the spring and composed of rigid 'members surrounding the spring andA interitting one withV another,I and4 ay lubricant feeding device at the ends of the jacket. i

In testimony whereof, I have' hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this of February, 1915. j CLABEORN P. -RANDOLPH. In presence of GEORGE H. HILEs,

Lon.; M. BOWERS. 

